Cougar skaters strong at the stretch

Published 12:00 am, Monday, January 27, 2014

EAST ALTON - A pair of crucial series have given SIU Edwardsville hockey coach Mike Edwards a pretty good idea of where his team stands - and he likes what he sees.

SIUE swept a pair of games with the University of Illinois over the past weekend to sew up the No. 3 seed in the postseason MidAmerica Collegiate Hockey Association Regional Tournament. The Cougars’ 11-3 and 8-4 victories Friday and Saturday at the East Alton Ice Arena came on the heels of a crucial split against Missouri State University the previous weekend in Springfield, Mo. On Sunday, SIUE dropped a 6-4 nail-biter to Lindenwood University, which will likely be a national top-five team in the postseason.

“We are skating really well and it was good to lock up the third seed,” Edwards said. “We kind of stumbled a little bit in the first game back after the winter break, but once we got our feet under us, we came back really well.”

There are still two weeks remaining in the regular season. SIUE’s next action will be when it plays host to Grand Valley State University this coming Friday (10:45 p.m.) and Saturday (4:15 p.m.) at the East Alton Ice Arena.

Against the Fighting Illini, SIUE got 19 goals in two games from seven different players. And in series opener at Missouri State, the Cougars dropped a 5-2 decision, but came back the next day to post a 6-3 victory.

“That series showed me as much about our team as anything,” Edwards said. “Missouri State is a big, fast, strong hockey team. To be able to come back and play like we did against them showed me a lot.”

The Cougars (11-8 overall) will be seeded behind No.1 Illinois State University and No. 2 Iowa when the regional gets under way next month.

Following the Saturday victory at Missouri State, the Cougars played the University of Missouri Sunday and posted an 8-3 victory. But it was the showing against the Bears, as well as the hard-fought game against Lindenwood, that drew Edwards’ praise.

“I can’t say enough about the way the team came back against Missouri State,” he said. “And the way the team kept fighting against Lindenwood showed a lot. We just have to be able to play that kind of hockey every time out”

In Sunday’s game against Lindenwood, the Cougars jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Lindenwood rallied to go ahead 403. SIUE tied it at 4-4, only to see the Lions reclaim the lead. Lindenwood’s last goal came into an empty net in the final seconds.

“Lindenwood is one of the best teams we’ll play all season,” Edwards said.

Cougar Taylor Emerick had a goal and an assist against Lindenwood. Other SIUE goals were scored by Alex Nickens, Nick Edwards and Ryan Tinsley. Other assists were notched by Nick Sabol, Brett DeNap, Matt Burton, Drew Retzer and Ryan Rauscher.

In the 6-3 win over Missouri State, SIUE got two goals and an assist from former Alton High School standout Jeremy Meletti and a goal and an assist from Sabol. Other goals were scored by Blake Varady, Tinsley and Nick Faulkner. Assists went to Emerick (2), Edwards and Burton.

The Cougars got strong goaltending from Danny Seby in both games. A former Marquette Catholic High standout, Selby made 57 saves in the series, including 33 in the victory. Selby had missed nearly a month of playing time because of a concussion.

“(Selby) is playing very, very good,” Edward said. “And Meletti is one heck of a hockey player. He’s like a waterbug out there.”

“We got really strong effort from everybody in those game,” Mike Edwards said. “One of the biggest things we’re doing right now is playing as a team once we step on the ice. On paper, some of the other teams might appear to be better, but this group really knows how to play together.”